eating

One of the biggest trends in find dining over the past year has been the continued interest in molecular gastronomy, the food movement in which the chef is recast as a scientist (or the other way around) and prepares familiar flavors in startling forms or creates familiar forms with unexpected flavors. Think foods like hot ice cream and solidified sauces complementing a liquid poached pear. The world's most unusual restaurants include some of the bastions of molecular gastronomy, such as England's Fat Duck, and NYC's WD-50 but also includes Ninja in New York, where ninja servers perform magic while serving you expensive sushi, Dinner in the Sky and Annalakshmi, where you only pay what you feel like paying.

BusinessWeek has an interesting look at where the business elite - executives at some of the country's most successful companies - go to eat. You might think that their favorite spots would be restaurants like Per Se, Alinea or any number of Vegas hotspots, and while they do eat (and enjoy) some meals there, it turns out that they like just about any place that has good food and a friendly atmosphere. For some, it's a neighborhood diner or an unpretentious steakhouse, while others do prefer more upscale eats, but the staff always plays just a big a role as the food. So, you don't have to be an executive to eat like one - and chances are good you've already had a $3 diner breakfast - you just have to recognize and appreciate some of the finer things in life, wherever they are.

Picnics are supposed to take place on warm spring or summer days, when you can relax in the shade and escape from the sun's rays. The Carnival Midnight Picnic Basket looks like it's meant to be used at night, though. The basket includes 4 plates, insulated food and bottle coolers, stainless steel cutlery and glasses for four, a glass serving tray, napkins and a corkscrew. Every piece, including the basket itself, is in a shade of grey or black, making it a good choice for a midnight snack or taking to an outdoor show, where you don't want your dishes catching the lights and distracting those around you. Price: $109.95 (sale).

[via Cribcandy]